The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) is the first legally binding human rights instrument addressing enforced disappearances.
Adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2006, it came into force on December 23, 2010, after Iraq deposited the 20th ratification.
This followed the 1992 Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which remains a guiding reference for states, with some provisions reflecting customary international law.
The ICPPED was driven by the relentless advocacy of affected families, human rights groups, and NGOs worldwide, who stressed the need for a universal treaty to prevent and eliminate this grave crime.
